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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23495020">Night of the Past, Present, and Future</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KorrohShipper/pseuds/KorrohShipper'>KorrohShipper</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Acceptance, Angst, BAMF Peggy Carter, Comfort, F/M, Hurt, Hurt Steve Rogers, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Moving On, Night at the Museum Fusion, Paragon!Peggy Carter, Peggy Carter is Alive, Sort Of, Steggy - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:54:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,652</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23495020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KorrohShipper/pseuds/KorrohShipper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In search of a paragon that will bring destruction to earth, Steve finds himself living among the relics of the past with a familiar face and those unforgettable red lips.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>As a kid, I absolutely loved the movie, "Night at the Museum". </p><p>Netflix recently uploaded the entire trilogy and due to the newfound time brought by the quarantine brought by the virus, I found myself watching the second film. That ending, the one with Amelia, well it got me thinking. </p><p>Set after the first Avengers film.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was never really supposed to reach him, but it did.</p><p>The Inkjet™-printed brochure of the travelling exhibit was mailed to him out of courtesy and respect, seeing that it was a project made to raise awareness on his existence and the wonders of war science back in the 40’s.</p><p>On the front flap of the folded brochure bragged, in bold red letters glaring at him, of how they had genuine artifacts from Camp Lehigh and the Brooklyn facility from when they were operating Project Rebirth. Inside, it featured a wealth of pictures and texts, one of which promised a platoon of life-size wax models of key personnel involved.</p><p>Steve knew that he should have thrown it out the minute his eyes landed on it.</p><p>But then, he saw, in the corner of his eyes, a picture of the assembled wax models—it was a wide shot of the entire hallowed out hangar used to house a part of the exhibit. It was mistake at best and paranoia at worst, but he knew those curls or those Victory Red lips anywhere, even if it’s too pixelated for the naked human eye.</p><p>Steve knew, deep in his heart, that it was Peggy.</p><p>She was part of the exhibit.</p><p>That was how he ended up in that air base, browsing through the clothed mannequins that showed them as a relic of his time, a painful reminder that the people who once wore those very clothes were people he could have possibly known, people he had lost.</p><p>But as painful a reminder they were, his mind trailed as his body did from the group tour, feeling not a bit guilty from his attention straying away from the woman who lead Group #37 around the fifth hangar.</p><p>Slipping into the mask of a new crowd, Steve was hit by a harsh beam of light when he stepped out of the hangar and into the tarmac of the retired air base. His chest panted, far too loud for something as effortless as sneaking out. But his chest and heart hammered for a different reason—he saw the familiar number, the familiar set of army vehicles.</p><p>His mouth ran dry as his feet slowly dragged themselves to the new hangar.</p><p>People began to crowd once more, a different group stood in front of them, a male guide now stood at the front. “And now, if you’d all look here to the side, you’ll see a revered public servant who helped shape the nation’s security and national intelligence—Margaret Carter-Sousa.”</p><p>The guide inched closer to the exhibit, carefully letting his hand hover near the wax model’s side. “Now, many of you may not know this, but during the war, women’s involvement were limited to code-breaking, secretarial duties, nursing, and minimal field exposure like posted sniping positions. It was Margaret Carter-Sousa, the founding director of SHIELD, who paved the way for women all over the globe to leave their mark on the corporate and office workplace.”</p><p>The group <em>ooh-ed</em> and <em>aah-ed</em> obediently, even more so when the guide leaned in forward conspiratorially. “I’m not supposed to say this,” he began, “but back then, it was speculated that Director Carter-Sousa, then the famed Agent Carter who served as the British liaison to the Howling Commandos, had a relationship with our very own Captain America.” The guide nodded matter-of-factly. "If any of you have been to Smithsonian exhibit on Captain America, you'll see some pages of his sketchbook dedicated to Director Carter-Sousa. Rumors have it that the esteemed combat unit, the Howling Commandos, kept the secret of their relationship safe with them."</p><p>But clearly, whatever he wasn’t supposed to say was meant to be a segue. “Now, speaking of Captain America, if you’ll follow me into the next section of the tour, you’ll see the earlier models of the VitaRay chamber and how they evolved in design before reaching the very equipment used in Project Rebirth.”</p><p>Steve let himself fall behind and stay near Peggy’s exhibit.</p><p>He hated that, to the exhibit, that was all Peggy was—a segue to get to another section, a tour gossip to sell the tickets.</p><p>Peggy was more than a footnote in his life to draw the crowds in on a half-assed assessment—any historian worth their salt would know that there never was a them. No matter how much he wanted it, they never were. It was his biggest regret in his life; Steve could run in eyes closed and heads first in any mission he could throw himself into but the one chance to begin something with her, he couldn't. She was the one fight of his life that he couldn't even brave. </p><p>And to think that’s all they chalk her up to: a lie.</p><p>He hated that they didn’t know that she was more than that. So much more.</p><p>He balled his fingers into a fist and breathed in deeply, counting to ten. She’s more than that.</p><p>The wax model sat on the hood of the jeep. A whistle hung around her neck, gaze fixed in the distance and her mouth was schooled into a frown, like she was about to tell the recruits off for not finishing a hundred push-ups in a minute when she could do a hundred-and-seven with one hand.</p><p>A clip board as by her side, just inches away from her fingertips and Steve’s heart jumped—that was her handwriting.</p><p>As insensitive the exhibit was to Peggy, they had an eye for detail, each painstakingly arranged to bring back the memories of a lost, golden past.</p><p>He wanted to say something, anything. Even though she’d never answer—it was just a wax model, after all, even if it looked so much like her.</p><p>Her file was still on his table, number printed clearly just on the side and the address printed clearly. He heard the whispers of the SHIELD personnel, he already got in the database. The number to the retirement house was there, all he had to do was pick up the phone and call her. If he wanted to see her, he could.</p><p>But he shouldn’t. Not now, not when she’s moved on, not now when she’s done her part for the world, when she should just focus on spending her days in peace and comfort. Steve’s got no right uprooting all those decades worth of hurt.</p><p>Not when he didn’t give her his coordinates when she asked for them.</p><p>He can’t do—</p><p>“Sir?” a uniformed night guard came up to him, his face scrunched up like he was wondering if he looked like someone famous.</p><p>It took Steve more than a moment to realize he wasn’t squinting anymore and that the white noise of hangar was gone. He was alone, save for the guard. “Uh, the exhibit’s closing. We have to start packing things up.” He nodded absentmindedly. He read, somewhere on that brochure, that it was only here for a few weeks and it was off to Austria around the end of the month.</p><p>Steve looked around, and sure enough, the entire hangar was empty. No one was left save from him and the guard who came to tell him. “Thanks,” he smiled politely. “I’ll just see myself out in a minute.”</p><p>The guard moved to exit but paused midway. His finger hung in the air and his mouth opened and shut close periodically. “I’m sorry, do I know you from somewhere?”</p><p>Steve hesitated. He wasn’t sure if he should just jab his thumb at the direction of the next section and say, ‘Look inside the glass of the VitaRay chamber.’</p><p>Instead, he shook his head and glanced at Peggy once more. “Um, it’s that, maybe I’ve got one of those faces?”</p><p>The guard looked like he wanted to argue with the answer but shrugged. It was an acceptable explanation anyways. “Yeah, yeah. Sorry about that. Anyways, we’re closing in about ten. If you could just finish up.”</p><p>“Of course.” Steve tore his gaze away from Peggy. “Thank you, sir.”</p><p>Footsteps retreated when a sound of engine revving in the distance began to grow in sound. Steve frowned and was ready to chase after the guard only that there was a tap on his shoulder.</p><p>“Hello, Captain.”</p><p>Steve’s blood froze. The familiar voice played out in his head over and over again and when he turned around, a scowl was fixed into his face.</p><p>“<em>Loki</em>.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>Loki</em>.”</p><p>Steve regretted not bringing anything hard to throw at the trickster. Instead, his fingers curled up into a fist, breathing deep. He wished he brought his shield.</p><p>“My, my, Captain Rogers, the soldier.”</p><p>There he stood, the trickster god, just inches away from the jeep, a manic gleam in his eyes when a smug grin flashed on his face. It was stupid, feeling protective and possessive over a wax model but he couldn’t help it.</p><p>Steve accepted, a long time ago, when it came to Peggy, many rational thoughts became irrational.</p><p>Loki gave the model a once over before nodding, humming approvingly. “She’s lovely, Captain.”</p><p>“What are you doing here?” he wasn’t supposed to be here in the first place. Thor was supposed to make sure that Loki remained where he was.</p><p>Loki clapped his hands approvingly. “Ah, no beating around the bush,” he leaned in conspiratorially and mocked interest. “I like that in my business partners, yes?”</p><p>Steve reached for his back pocket, where his phone was resting and where he could use the alarm tracker that would lead the rest of the Avengers to his very location. Unfortunately for him, it seems like that wasn’t an option.</p><p>Right as he fished it out, a ray of energy had vaporized through it. Steve stared at Loki with annoyance and disbelief. “<em>Trickster</em>!” he sing-songed.</p><p>“Why are you here?” Steve asked through gritted teeth.</p><p>“I am missing something.” He sighed. It better not be something like the Tesseract. “And I want you to find it, Captain.”</p><p>“Why should I?”</p><p>Loki paced around, devious and happy, skipping in his every step. “Fate of the world hangs upon your shoulders, that kind of thing and whatnot.” But as Loki finished, his words hung, drawing out the suspense. “Not to mention, Captain, I can help you.”</p><p>Steve gritted his teeth, balling his fingers into fists, gearing up to fight the god. “I’m going to give you one chance to stand down, Loki.” There was a pause but whatever answer he expected to get, Loki just laughed at him.</p><p>“Oh, puny mortal.” The god of mischief sighed. “There are much bigger things at play. And, not to mention, I can make things bearable for you. . .” Loki tutted around, a mischievous smile playing on his lips before settling on a devilish grin, “—<em>familiar</em>, even.”</p><p>“Last call: give up.”</p><p>Loki waved his hands around and the quiet reverie of the hangar was seemingly jarred out of its peace. There was something unsettling.</p><p>“Hidden amongst these trinkets you mortals cling and gawk upon is another jewel stolen from Asgard. My powers are linked to this paragon, just so you know. The longer this paragon stays unsubdued on this earth, chaos will rise above it. You, Captain, are to retrieve the relic and return this to me.”</p><p>Loki turned around, pacing when Steve launched himself to throw a punch—only, his fist met blank air.</p><p>“Oh, I’m not here,” said Loki conversationally, as if it was expected.</p><p>Landing roughly into the ground, Steve groaned before picking himself up and dusting the patch of cloth on his pants that got dirtied up. “I’m calling Thor. You aren’t getting away with this, Loki.”</p><p>“Oh, but I can, and I will.”</p><p>“And what makes you think that I’ll do your bidding?” he glared at Loki, remembering the pain and hurt he brought Clint. “I won’t become your flying monkey, and you don’t even have your scepter.”</p><p>“I won’t need a scepter to convince you, soldier, because you were never one to ignore the call of those in need.” A spectral vision appeared before Steve and the scene played out before him.</p><p>It was an unfamiliar scene, one he never seen before. It was in a castle, deep down where it was dark and dank. A small part of Steve that never shook off that feeling of his lungs failing within him because of his asthma winced.</p><p>Then, he saw her. Peggy, in a disguise, shooting at soldiers as she helped Dr. Erskine escape from the castle’s keep.</p><p>“Among you was a spy, a diversion. A security measure to ensure that whoever would yield the treasure stolen from Asgard would be worthy, took form to hide away from those who would do wrong to the Tesseract.”</p><p>The scene shifted, a scene he was familiar with.</p><p>It was in New Jersey. Steve was in line on a dirt patch clearing. Military jeeps were doing rounds and he saw filling up a form when someone a jeep stopped by from the end of the line. It was Peggy, and she clocked Hodge right up in the nose when he had an attitude.</p><p>Steve could never forget that moment. It was the moment he knew that Peggy Carter wasn’t like all the other dames. It was the moment, albeit unknown to him, that he fell in love with Peggy Carter. Erskine was there, smiling, in the background, giving him a gentle smile, reminding him, in his own way, not to be a perfect soldier but to be a good man. </p><p>Then, Loki waved his hand again.</p><p>Steve almost choked out a whine—“<em>Don’t go.”</em> He whispered in strangled breath as Peggy’s image faded away.</p><p>“You must retrieve the treasure.” Loki announced, voice low and grim. “Or unleash a dark force upon this earth,” there was a looming darkness in his eyes that made Steve understand, that whatever it was Loki was talking about, was true.</p><p>“Where do I find it? How do I know what it is?”</p><p>Loki hushed him. “In time it will be revealed to you. Your memories will guide you, soldier.”</p><p>The final scene that played out in front of him was when he was inside the SSR facility in Brooklyn. Steve sighed in longing. He could almost imagine it, touch the feel of his city, the city he grew up in.</p><p>He watched as the viewing deck radiated with flames and fumes of orange and red. Even in a vision, he could feel the heat as the flames engulfed the upper portion of the facility. Steve watched as his younger, newly emerged from the VitaRay chamber crumble to the ground, watching helpless as Erskine’s chest blossomed with crimson.</p><p>Steve watched as Erskine, with the last of his strength, remind Steve that no matter what, he would never forget the small guy who respected power. </p><p>“The artifact, the paragon has been on your earth for far too long, and it will begin its disturbance.”</p><p>A loud crash boomed in the distance.</p><p>“You will have until sunrise, Captain Rogers.” Loki warned grimly. “Find the artifact and subdue it. It will be humanity’s only hope.”</p><p>Steve stepped forward, looking around when the earth shook and rumbled.</p><p>Loki looked unperturbed. “The disturbances have begun.” The god’s eyes glowed green. “Find the artifact, and you will find peace, Captain.”</p><p>And then, there was this explosion of light.</p><p>Steve raised his arm and shielded his eyes, the wave of brightness burned his vision for a moment, but when he regained composure. Loki was gone.</p><p>Just like that he was all alone. . .only, he wasn’t—</p><p>“<em>Steve</em>?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>Steve</em>?”</p><p>The voice sent a course of electricity down his spine and was immediately frozen to the spot. He felt like an entire bucket of ice water had been poured over him or that he was back in the arctic.</p><p>Steve never expected to hear that voice again.</p><p>When he turned around, Steve expected—his sanity hoped—that he would see what he had been staring at for the better part of his entire day: Peggy Carter, sitting atop the hood of a army jeep with a clipboard and a file right next to her, a whistle hanging by her neck, the perfected and signature look of silent British disapproval on her face.</p><p>In a way, she was still there, only she wasn’t the wax model he stood vigil over as people whizzed and walked by him.</p><p>The Peggy Carter that was before him now stood and stretched, examining the hangar with military precision and competence before her eyes settled on him.</p><p>The first thought that registered in his mind was that she was real because no imposter, no model could ever have those eyes, the very same eyes he peered and gazed into before boarding a bomber that would be his last flight for his natural life.</p><p>But there she was, clipboard in hand and pistol handy in her belt holster. The Peggy Carter he saw in pictures, the ones of the woman who existed in the 21<sup>st</sup> century had graying hair and a fading mind, brittle bones and an ending life, but the one that stood before him was different.</p><p>This was the Peggy Carter he knew, the one who was ready to march down on any and all Hydra encampments. She was every bit ready to punch out anyone giving her attitude but ready to stoop down and get her hands dirty to help out anyone in need. And she smiled at him, the same smile that managed to quicken his heart and put a stop to his breathing all together.</p><p>It was the Peggy Carter he knew.</p><p>More importantly—and <em>painfully</em>—it was the Peggy Carter he left behind.</p><p>So, Steve didn’t know what came over him exactly when he surged forward and took her into his arms in an embrace.</p><p>“Steve, what’s going on? Are you alright?”</p><p>She asked, voice muffled against the fabric of his shift.</p><p>He pulled back, suddenly, the gravity of the situation falling into perspective like a puzzle piece. This was the paragon’s doing. Bringing the exhibit to life, all the wax models now animate, it was some sort of magic brought by that paragon.</p><p>The paragon, whatever or whoever it was, its powers are clearly growing. Bringing wax statues to life like something out a science fiction novel should have scared him, spurred him into action.</p><p>A part of him knew he should be logical: find the paragon, stop the world from collapsing on itself, warn Thor about Loki’s growing powers.</p><p>But with Peggy in his arms, a familiar face in a foreign future, it felt right, even if it was only for a second until the reality came crashing down on him.</p><p>
  <em>Margaret Elizabeth “Peggy” Carter-Sousa.</em>
</p><p>She had a life after him. She married a wonderful man, a good man who took a step back and devoted himself to taking care of house and home, raised the children, and supported her as she established SHIELD.</p><p>She had years of life and adventure while he slept.</p><p>He had no right taking that away from her. Even if it was just a wax model.</p><p>The Peggy Carter he knew was since then long gone.</p><p>Any part of him in that life must have been a sad, longing remnant, a what-if she’d just think about.</p><p>She had a life.</p><p>So, he let go of her, hands falling to his sides and his cheeks burning up. It didn’t help that Peggy gave him an amused look, one eyebrow raised and the ends of her lips quirking up, fighting off a smile that would be ingrained in his mind for the rest of time.</p><p>“Fancy meeting you, soldier.” She chirped, giving him that winning ruby-lipped smile. “You’re late.”</p><p>He shrunk and shook his head. “Would you believe it if I said I couldn’t call my ride?”</p><p>Peggy looked around and placed a hand on her waist, “I would, but if I’m being honest, we both know that’s not what I want to talk about.”</p><p>Steve’s brows furrowed until he glanced where she was looking and he deflated. “Oh,” he said, somewhat flabbergasted when, in his midst, was a golden hourglass, inside green grains of sand ticking down.</p><p>“I was rather surprised when I blinked into life and here I was, inside a hollowed out hangar and saw you arguing with a strange fellow.”</p><p>“Loki.” He grumbled, taking a long look at the timer.</p><p>“I take it you don’t like him very much.”</p><p>He gave a noncommittal sound. “He’s not very friendly, no.”</p><p>Mercifully, she went up beside him, changing the subject. “On a mission, yes?” he saw her bros furrow ever so slightly. To an outsider who didn’t know her, it would have gone unnoticed. But he did know her and Steve knew she had heard more than she let on.</p><p>With a steeled expression and a renewed determination, Steve looked across the air base. The entire military base was loaned to the travelling exhibit, all of the fourteen hangars scattered across the property, held the promised life-size wax model of Dr. Abraham Erskine, the only person Steve knew in good authority who probably knew something about ancient paragons.</p><p>“Only to save the world.”</p><p>Peggy rolled her eyes good-naturedly and fought off a smile. “Always so dramatic.” She muttered before glancing off into the distance. “Am I to be briefed or do I have to pry the mission off of some captured Hydra agent?”</p><p>“I need to find someone. He’s in one of the hangars. You’ve got to let me go.”</p><p>He gave the hourglass a wayward glance. It’s going to be a long night.</p><p>Beside him, a jeep roared into life.</p><p>Steve turned around to see a military jeep speeding into his direction only to swerve last minute, the door flying open, and Peggy, right on time, with a blinding grin on her face, “Let’s go save the world then, shall we, Captain?”</p>
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